I bring a hand down the small of her back. I could be so lewd, but I let it fall without touching her more. I don’t want her too scared.
I’m about to leave her, even though I don’t want to, when someone breaks through the air around us. In a room full of people, I wouldn’t notice anyone else but this person is shouting at Lucy.
“What the hell are you doing here? With him?” an angry voice slurs, obviously drunk. I can tell by the hair, the eyes, that this is Lucy’s brother.
“Tommy, look, you need help and I’m going to do the only thing I can do to help you get that–” Lucy says, and I know that’s the truth.
Tommy cuts her off. “You want to put me in fucking rehab, I get it, but what’s the point, Luce? I’m going to backslide right back into being a fuckin’ disaster. If they think I ain’t good for the money, then I’m taken care of, too. So, just let me be out of your hands, Lucy. You’re wasting your whole fucking life on me–”
“That’s enough,” I interrupt this time. I won’t listen to anyone talk to Lucy this way. And I can’t take the way I see her tremble in pain at his words. “If you had any sense, Tommy, you’d listen to your sister instead of fucking, gambling, and drinking away what’s good in your life. As of right now, you’re a free goddamn man. Your sister can’t say the same thing. She’s willing to give up everything for you—and you’re going to the best damn rehab there is.” I put my hand on his shoulders and make him stand tall. This is fucking pathetic, how his sister will give up fucking everything and he’ll just sooner wallow in nothing.
Lucy’s pain is palpable. I can’t help myself, and I turn to stroke her cheek. She doesn’t recoil, which after how she reacted toward me earlier, is really shocking. I can see a look of appreciation in her eyes. Fuck if I don’t deserve that shit. Lucy’s a goddamn angel and I’m an asshole willing to drag her down to hell.
I look up at her from the drink I’m grabbing without thinking about it. I put it down without drinking it. I wanna be fucking better. I do. But I rarely even think about how much I drink and now suddenly I have the willpower to set down the drink and call it a night. “I’m going to make sure Tommy is well taken care of. He’ll go to the best facility. Now.”
Tommy starts to open his mouth but Lucy shoots him a withering look. “What’s done will not be undone,” she says, and there’s something faraway in her voice. The ominous way she doesn’t want to tell her brother that I’m going to fuck her, well, I’ll let that slide without some kind of remark on my part. Lucy is making a sacrifice and I want to honor the way she feels about her family. I may never have had anyone give a fuck about me even one iota as much as she cares about her brother, but I can recognize it when I see it. I pick up my phone and I call one of my staff members.
And now that I’m thinking about something more than Lucy’s sweet pussy, I do know who Tommy is. When I see Tommy, I know his last name. I know who he is. I know how much he owes not just me, but I have a pretty good idea of how much he owes just about everyone you don’t want to owe in this city.
But none of that matters because the deal is going to be done and I’m going to have Lucy.
I’d do anything for Lucy to have one ounce of that hope she has for her brother, just one ounce to be in my direction. I’m a goddamn fool, because owning her isn’t the way to earn her. But I guess I’ll take what I can get.
I’m foolish as fuck. I never settle. I always get what I want. And I’ve been okay with being alone.
And now Lucy walks in and puts her hand on me, and I’m practically wrapped around her finger. Of course, wrapped around her finger or not … she still belongs to me. I’m not exactly going to lie down and give her any power. She can’t even know the power she has over me. And when I’m done with her tonight, she’ll barely remember anything before tonight.
I’ve been out of the game for a while, but I know how to fuck. And I know how to fuck Lucy so damn well that she forgets everything before tonight. Forgets ever being afraid, maybe.
“You’re taking Tommy to Sutherland, and you’re to pay everything. When he has visiting and communicating privileges and visitation, only Lucy is permitted.”